INTO THE MODERN AGE: 100 YEARS OF THE AUTOMOBILE IN POTSDAM

MAY 15  through SEPTEMBER 30, 2008


Photographs from the museum archives show the automobile in the streets of Potsdam.

Here, Chief Nelson King "ties one on," a parking ticket that is, with a string. Taken on the east side of Market Street across from what is now the Isle of You. Behind the Chief you can what are now, Josie's Pizzaria, The Bagelry, and Maxfield's. Over the windshield of the car, the last building on the left, 1 Market Street, a building constructed of Potsdam Sandstone in the slab and binder method. Every other course of stone is laid on its side to "stretch" the stone, as it was hand cut and moved by ox cart from the quarries near Hannawa Falls. The building,  built around 1840, was a Hopkins Tannery and Leather Shop. They also built the sandstone house on the corner of Main and Union Streets, now a sorority.

This image was taken from the west side of Market Street from the Ives Block, 45-47 Market. the view is of the east side of market from 30 on your far left, heading south to the Arlington at 2 Market Street. The streets were designed for horse and buggy traffic when mud played a big factor in everyday life. If you look closely you can see the Rialto Theater, the third building from the left with it's large signs and canopy over the street to protect the lines of people from the weather. # P1809